WPCAMR
Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Quarterly Meeting Minutes
Nov 9, 2005
Eat’N’Park, Indiana, PA
In attendance:
Bob Eppley
(President)
Bruce Golden
(Staff)
LeeRoy
Vatter (Past President)
Dave Steele (S. Alleghenies RC&D)
Heather Fowler
(Fayette CD)
Jeff Fliss
(DEP)
Ron Horansky (DEP)
Pam Meade (Armstrong CD)
Linda Fickinger (WPCAMR)
Tom Clark (Armstrong/Indiana CDs)
Beth Dillon (SRBC)
|
Greg Phillips (Treasurer)
Garry Price
(319 Grant Advisor)
Deb Simko
(Staff)
Lance Bowes (Venango CD)
Tom Grote
(KC Stream Team)
Josh Lensbouer (KC Stream Team)
Bobbi Bailey (Penns CornerRC&D)
Dennis Hawley (Armstrong CD)
Kim Lanich (Elk CD)
Dave Kemp (Somerset
CD)
|
Meeting was called to order by Bob
Eppley at 10:10 am,
who chaired the meeting.
Bob offered the minutes from the previous quarterly meeting
held May 12, 2005
for discussion. Motion
to accept minutes as presented made by LeeRoy Vatter/Greg
Phillips.
Motion passed.
Greg Phillips read the treasurer’s report. Motion to accept the treasurer’s report by LeeRoy Vatter
/ Pam Meade passed.
Regional
Coordinator’s report was presented by Bruce Golden
(Attached)
Comments regarding report:
- Address
issues through Pam Milavec, DEP; check to see
if Title IV 10% set aside as a possible source of funds
- Re:
Progress on Reauthorization of Title IV
- Greg
suggested distributing report info to Conversation Districts
- Re:
WPCAMR 319 Grant, Garry Price made the following points:
- No
need to worry any more than normal for funding due to change in prodedure.
- Biggest
problem is uncertainty of 319 budget
- WPCAMR
grant is capped at $125,000, never to be exceeded.
- WPCAMR
no longer under 319 base grant (non-competitive), and will be under
incremental funding (competitive) in the future
- PA
319 program selects projects in which WPCAMR is likely to be looked
upon favorably.
- A possibility
that maximum grant award will be decreased in the future.
- All
efforts will be made to continue funding WPCAMR
- All PA
319 projects under same rules.
- Must
now submit annual application through the GG process.
- C-SAW
- Jeff Fliss – what
about PR for program?
- Be
careful to not duplicate services with other orgs, e.g. WPC
- Dave
Steele – likes web based training in addition to in-person presentatinons
- Bob Eppley - ASTD American Soc for Training and
Development is a good resource
- Greg
– Get the word out; make sure needs are not being met elsewhere
- Talk
with watershed managers to do some PR
- Pam
Meade – some duplication is not necessarily bad.
- Move
to GreenForge
- Greg:
more space for same dollars
Watershed
Coordinator’s report was presented by Deb Simko
(Attached)
Comments regarding report:
- Re: Water
Resources Committee
- Ohio River basin not getting funding
from DEP as are other basins
- Re: Coalbed Methane Brochure
- Heather Fowler described brochure
- Dave
Steele complemented Deb on support in leading River Conservation Plan
activities in Laurel Hill
Presentation: Tom Grote and Josh Lensbouer
(KC Stream Team) of made a presentation on a new multi-institution study of
mercury and its effects in the Kiski-Connemaugh Basin
using advanced instrumentation.
Reports and updates of local efforts were given by
attendees.
Discussion of Growing
Greener II type grant restrictions, namely no salaries or administration
categories allowed for funding.
Comments:
- Lance
Bowes said the restrictions represent a hardship for conservation
districts and watershed groups.
Suggested that contacts be made with state legislature to voice
concerns. Also, watershed
specialists have not been updated on the new rules and should be.
Motion: LeRoy Vatter/Greg
Phillips: Send a letter to Glenn Rider
of DEP Watershed Management and applicable others requesting clarification of
Growing Greener II requirements and outlining problems associated with current rules. Passed
Other discussion
- Tom Grote stated that
his group has a licence for Grant Station Pro,
software that allows searching of potential grant sources nationwide. Tom said that KC Stream Team would aid
watershed groups, etc. by allowing use of the software at their office.
- Dave
Steele suggested that groups be aware of EPA’s Regional Geographic Initiatives, and the bio-energy initiatives in
particular. He noted that each EPA
regional director has discretion to target projects and to supplement
funding. The projects are meant to
be results oriented. More info can
be found on the EPA website.
On a motion by LeeRoy
Vatter , the meeting was adjourned at 2:10 pm.
Minutes taken and assembled by Bruce
Golden.